My weekly round up

What I do to ease millennial guilt

My weekly round up

My guide to Venice

I have been meaning to do a post about Venice for a long time so finally here it is.

Venice is a city like no other, full of charm , character and charisma it is one of the most beautiful and amazing places I have ever seen. We visited this dream of a city in early March 2015 so it wasn’t peak tourist time but the weather was amazing, it was sunny and a perfect temperature to walk around all day so I thought I would put together my must see and do list when in Venice

Take a Water Taxi

This was by far the easiest form of transport to our hotel (of which I highly recommend) and it was definitely the easiest, quickest and most luxurious way to travel around Venice but with such convenience comes high prices. Look out when you are booking your trip for water taxis, you can get some really good advance deals. It is definitely something you need to do whilst you are there.

Street Pizza

It’s what Italy is famous for (among many other magical things) so make sure you grab a slice of pizza as you meander your way around the streets, it will be the cheapest, freshest meal you will eat whilst you are there.

Research before with a Travel book

I never go on city break without buying a travel guide, my favourites are the DK top ten books you can purchase on Amazon for a few pounds. They are so helpful, they list the top ten places to go, things to see, things to do, places to drink, places to eat etc.. I wouldn’t get by without mine.

Ride a Gondola

They are iconic to Venice and an absolute must, you will find they massively vary in price depending on what you want. We spent 80 euros on ours which may seem a little pricey but we were able to see a lot of the canals and we spent a long time out. We found this group just down from the Rialto Bridge but if you are looking at spending less you can find one just outside Piazza San Marco for a fraction of the price and I have heard the views are just as beautiful.

St Mark’s Basilica

Venice has so many landmarks and historical buildings it was hard to fit them all in but make sure you visit the cathedral, the building is the most iconic of them all and its definitely worth the money, I was completely lost for words.

Wander the winding streets

You can walk and walk in Venice and get completely lost in all of the winding streets, the architecture is incredible. I took a mountain of photos which I still don’t get bored of looking at, no street, corner or ally is the same.

Learn how to use public transport

Something I didn’t do well with. Do your research before you leave especially from the airport or you’ll end up using water taxis like us. The public transport is the best way to get around Venice, it’s cheap and you can just hop on and off during your visit.

Indulge in Italian food

Italian food is without a doubt my favourite food, pasta, pizza, breads, olive oils I could eat it all day. You will be absolutely spoilt for choice. Do watch the prices, obviously, the most touristy areas are more expensive. I think we paid a cool 8 euros for a fanta during one lunch.

Try one of their hot chocolates

For any chocolate lovers, this is an absolute must, they are like no other hot chocolates you have had before.

Drink wine

Every day because it doesn’t get better than a bottle of red in Venice.

Grab some gelato

You’re in Italy and like everything, you do not need a better excuse! You can buy literally every flavour ever imagined, all of which are delicious.

Buy a mask

Mine is still one of my favourite souvenirs of all time, I am still waiting for a masquerade ball to wear it to. There are so many to choose from and the shops are a lot of fun.

Go to Harry’s Bar

One of my favourite memories from this trip (made funnier because I wasn’t the one paying) Harrys bar is an iconic 1930’s bar famous for its Bellini cocktails ( apparently this is where they were founded) carpaccio and celebrity clientèle. I had only heard it was a good place when we stumbled across it one night for drinks. The cocktails were incredible and not too expensive so on our last night we decided to try and see if we could get a table. Knowing little at all about the bar we wandered there and down to a complete fluke managed to get a table. The food was still to this day the best I have ever had, the service was second to none and the atmosphere was infectious, I could spend every night there. The prices were high starting at a nice 30 euros for a starter but it definitely was an experience to sit amongst locals, enjoying amazing food and great wines. Tables are usually pretty hard to come by but the bar is definitely worth a visit, its rather small but if you are looking for a bit of glamour, a bar that has not changed, and service who are professional but will still have a joke with you make sure you go.

Visit Murano

You will need to have navigated your way with public transport by this point but a visit to Murano is a must. Visit the glass making factory and buy a souvenir worth keeping. Mine was only 20 euros and I love it but be careful most start in their hundreds and you will want it all. Stay for a couple of hours, take a wander and grab some lunch before heading back.

Relax

If you are going to Venice I recommend going for more than just a couple of days, I went for five days and it felt like the perfect amount of time there. It is the most laid back, romantic city in the word with so much to do so take everything in your stride and enjoy wandering around, eating and drinking and taking in the sites.

A lot of photos from this trip are on my Flickr account so please click here for a look.